How deep are the 2025 Los Angeles Angels -- in the rotation?

For years, the loudest offseason calls from Angels fans have been to add starting pitching. Some actually believed the Angels had one last big surprise in store for reinforcements in the rotation – a Corbin Burnes or Max Fried was never really realistic, but the likes of Jack Flaherty or even Max Scherzer felt attainable. Long-time fans of this team should know better by now.  

However, if you’re open to the fact that 2025 is shaping up to be one more “lets see what we’ve got” year for the Halos, then the outlook at starting pitcher might be brighter than you think.  

The biggest splash the Angels made in free agency was the signing of Yusei Kikuchi to a 3-year, $63 million deal. It’s the largest deal of Perry Minasian’s tenure to date, the largest contract handed out by the Angels since Raisel Iglesias, and the largest to a free agent starting pitcher since C.J. Wilson in 2011.

Kikuchi is coming off a true season of two halves. In Toronto, he went 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA. However, after being traded to the Houston Astros in July, he was lights-out -- 5-1 over 10 starts, a 2.70 ERA, and a 147 ERA+.  As is so often the case, the Angels bought high and are gambling on him being that second half pitcher going forward. He’s not a bona fide ace, but he’s undoubtably an improvement for the Angels, and almost certain to take the ball on Opening Day.

Another guy whose numbers turned mid-season, but in the opposite direction, was Tyler Anderson. The Angels’ lone All-Star in 2024, Anderson had a terrific first half, before regressing after the break. He was still worth 3.1 WAR and led the team with 179.2 innings pitched.

José Soriano leapt from relief to the rotation, and it’s hard to complain about the results. He more than rose to the occasion with a 3.42 ERA over 20 starts, but suffered arm fatigue late in the year and was shut down. That’s hardly surprising, but given that he’s already undergone two Tommy John surgeries and is still only 26 years old, his durability will need to be monitored carefully.

Kyle Hendricks signed even earlier than Kikuchi, and is even more of a wild swing when it comes to expectations. At 35, he’s had a memorable career with the Chicago Cubs, including finishing 3rd in Cy Young voting and picking up a World Series ring in 2016...but 2024 was…not great. He had the highest ERA of his career at 5.92, got relegated to the Cubs bullpen early in the season, but fared better in his return to the rotation. Nicknamed “The Professor," bringing him in for one year as a veteran mentor to a young group of starters makes a lot of sense, but it’s perplexing that Minasian appears to have virtually guaranteed him a starting spot.

Assuming that to be the case, the fifth spot in the rotation is where things get interesting. Reid Detmers, who started 2024 brilliantly, and Jack Kochanowicz, who grabbed his chances from August onwards, appear to be the frontrunners. Detmers imploded as the season went on, even being sent back to the minors, and whilst Kochanowicz put up quality starts, he’s still only 65.1 innings into his career.

The field of young upside starters gets encouragingly crowded after that. Caden Dana got knocked around in his brief debut, but he’s the Angels’ top prospect for a reason. George Klassen, according to some, could be even better if he gets on top of his control. Samuel Aldegheri didn’t set the world on fire in his first taste of the majors, but didn’t look too far out of his depth. Chase Silseth and Sam Bachman are making their way back from injuries and could either continue being stretched out, or contribute in relief. Ryan Johnson, Dakota Hudson and Victor Mederos will all be at spring training, working out where they fit into the Angels longer term plans.

Yet the biggest improvements to the rotation may come from who isn’t there. Griffin Canning, with his AL-leading 99 earned runs last year, and meltdown-prone 2024 Opening Day starter Patrick are gone. The Angels gave them every opportunity, but they’re someone else’s problem now. If José Suarez is starting games in 2025, something has gone seriously wrong.     

Fans have every right to feel as if the Angels could have done more over the offseason to bolster an undeniably weak area of the team, but if you squint slightly, turn your head, and dare to dream a little, there are the makings of a decent rotation in there. It just might not be entirely obvious for another season.  

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